The Canadian Olympic figure skating team was formally announced on Sunday, and after the usual saccharine speeches delivered by the usual political wind-bags, Skate Canada high-performance director Michael Slipchuk got down to the nitty-gritty.

Slipchuk said he expects Canada to win at least three medals in Sochi — which would tie the previous team high set in 1988 in Calgary — and possibly break the record with four. Led by world champions Patrick Chan in men’s singles and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in the dance, Canada is sending one of its strongest teams ever to Russia.

“We’ve said all along it would be three, including the team event. But do we have the potential to possibly get more? Yes,” said Slipchuk. “But we don’t want to set a number that is possibly unattainable and also puts undo pressure on skaters that don’t need to feel that burden.

“We know we’re competitive in the pairs, we’re right on the fringe there. Kaitlyn (Weaver) and Andrew (Poje) are knocking on the door in dance. Kevin (Reynolds) is right in the mix (in men’s singles), and Kaetlyn (Osmond) is moving herself up in the ladies,” added Slipchuk. “Anything can happen, and if that door opens for an opportunity, then we’re ready to step right through.”

To win four medals, Chan and Virtue and Moir would have to finish on the podium (which is almost a slam dunk), while one of the pairs teams of either Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford or Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch would also have to place in the top three. Those teams were third and fourth, respectively, at last season’s worlds.

And then there’s the team event — a new Olympic discipline just added for the Sochi Games. Canada is in the driver’s seat not only to win a medal, but to get the gold — based on the fact that the Canadian team has depth in all four events.

“We’re definitely a favourite there,” said Slipchuk. “But it’s not going to be easy. There’s a lot of depth across the road. Russia’s going to have a strong team, also the U.S. But it’s a one-off competition and anything can happen. But what gives us some confidence is that we have strength right across all four disciplines and you’re going to need that. You can’t rely on just three disciplines to get through this.”

There have been suggestions that some skaters aren’t enthusiastic about the team event being added for the Olympics, that they’re worried about being fatigued for their individual events after taking part in the team competition. However, pretty well every Canadian skater, when asked on Sunday, expressed a huge desire to skate in the team event and try to help Canada win a gold.

In fact, Virtue and Moir — defending Olympic gold medalists from Vancouver — have asked Skate Canada to allow them to do both the short and free-dance programs in the team event, despite the fact they have to do the same again for their individual event. Of course, it helps that there are six days between the team and individual events in the ice dance. But it’s more than that.

“What a privilege to be able to take the ice four times and compete for an Olympic medal,” said Virtue, a London native. “It’s also our job, to be there and to be in shape and to be ready and to represent Canada to the best of our ability. And that’s something we take very seriously. It’s all about peaking at the right time and we have it down to a science now.”

Ten nations compete in the team event in the short program, with the top five moving on to long program. The way it’s probably going to play out for Canada — based on the Olympic schedule — is that Virtue and Moir and Osmond, the Canadian women’s champion, will do both the short and the long in the team event, while Chan will do the short and Reynolds the long in the men. The pairs events will be divided as well. Of course, it would improve Canada’s chance for a gold in the team if Chan did both the short and long in that event, but the men’s team long program is Feb. 9 and the men’s individual short is Feb. 13, only four days apart. Chan, 23, is on a mission to become the first Canadian to win Olympic gold in men’s singles and Skate Canada wants him well-rested for the individual event. Slipchuk is confident that Reynolds, despite missing most of this season with boot problems, can keep Canada in the mix for team gold by skating a solid long. Reynolds, 23, made a huge move on the international scene last year by finishing fifth at the worlds and winning the Four Continents Championship.

For the skaters who haven’t competed at an Olympics before, competing in the team event gives them a opportunity to “find their legs” so to speak before their individual events. Osmond, for one, is thrilled at that prospect.

“If I have to skate four times, I’d be pleased,” said the Edmonton-based skater. “It’s my first experience at the Olympics and knowing I’ll get a run-through done and get the feel of it before my individual event and then already be a part of something, I think it will help a lot.”